A Note from Chris

Catch you next month!

Cheers,

Chris Thompson

Brewery News

Brewer’s Dinner – Hunter Edition

It’s that time of the year again – it’s our second annual Hunter Edition Brewer’s Dinner! Last year hunters and wild game lovers sold this special edition Brewer’s Dinner out, so get your tickets while you can. Get your tickets here.

Beer 101

A sour trend.

By Head Brewer Sean

In the USA, beer has been drifting into many interesting directions over the past ten years. Sours, in particular, have been increasing in popularity. We are starting to see this trend in Canada now. With a lot of new sours hitting the shelves I figured we should talk about them a little and see where WBC stands.

To make a sour beer, you introduce bacteria during the brewing process. There are many different strains of bacteria used but to keep things simple we will talk about lactobacillus. Lactobacillus is a ubiquitous bacteria found on foods and grain. It is one of the main reasons we are so careful about infections at the brewery. This bacterium is on all of our malted grain. For this reason, we try to keep the malt as far away from our cellar as possible. Despite the necessary precautions, adding this bacteria back into the fold is worth the risk.

There are two ways of creating sour beer. One is pitching “lacto” into a tank or barrel and allowing the souring to take place naturally. The other is what’s called “kettle souring”. Kettle souring is a much faster and more controlled way to create a sour beer. You essentially pitch the “lacto” before boiling the wort, and it sours overnight. The pitching lacto can take months, if not a year, to get the souring results. Therefore, kettle souring is a more commonly used technique with smaller breweries.

Once a sour base beer is brewed, the flavour options are endless. Brewers can add fruit or teas, and even dry hop to get that IPA aroma and flavour. The possibilities are endless. There are many examples of these styles at the LCBO and on bar shelves right now.

I have a question for you, do you like sour beers? Have you tried any before? If so, what styles do you enjoy most? What’s your favourite flavour? I would love to hear your thoughts and what you do and don’t like.

A Note from Chris

Good Beer is Worth More Than a Buck

So, what exactly is the buck-a-beer challenge? A simple answer, with a somewhat complicated outcome. In a nutshell, the Ontario government has lowered the minimum price that beer is allowed to be sold for and have challenged breweries to sell beer for as low as $1 per bottle/can. This has created a great deal of “buzz” in Ontario (pun most certainly intended), or has it? Well, in Ford’s campaign, it was a huge deal, and this resulted in proportionate coverage from mainstream media, responses from breweries and questions from the public.

The result of the challenge though? In my opinion, it appears to have fallen flat. So why is that?

Let’s start with our stance on the matter. Below is a social media message that we issued after getting questioned as to whether or not we were going to participate in the challenge by many of our followers/media outlets.

One thing I want to be clear about is that we don’t take a hostile stance toward this program/challenge. The Ontario government has been a big supporter of Ontario Craft Beer and the breweries in the province. WBC and the OCB hope to continue working with them to remove barriers within the province and ultimately benefit the consumer as much as possible (sorry if I didn’t phrase that right OCB, I tried).

I cannot comment for all breweries, and I don’t attempt to. However, I am confident that many share similar values to ours. Our brand rests on the pillars of high quality, locally sourced, and traditionally brewed beer, providing a safe, sustainable, and fun place of work for our staff, supporting the local communities and reducing our environmental impact. These values are not conducive to the budget or low price market space. We position ourselves as a premium craft beer/brewery and believe we provide that. We already make incredibly minimal margins (if any) on our beer, and if we were to sell ALL of our product for only a dollar per unit, we would be out of business within a month. The fact is that costs for breweries have been increasing at an accelerated rate. These costs include, but are by no means limited to, Ontario beer taxes which increase every six months. Taxes alone for a can of beer are approximately 50 cents.

What many people do not realise is that previously the price floor was only 25 cents higher (CHECK THIS). As you probably all know, we did not try to sell our beer for that price, and our pricing was in line with what we hope you believe the quality of our product is. What I find quite amusing is that there weren’t any products sold for $1.25, with the closest being approximately $1.47 (check this). So, if nobody was trying to sell for as cheaply as possible before, why lower the price now?

One argument is to encourage breweries to provide beer for a lower price to benefit the consumer. A proposed incentive to breweries for lowering the cost of beer is offering advertising space in return for accepting the buck-a-beer challenge.

Don’t get me wrong, beer at a lower price is excellent all round – as long as its sustainable.

Another argument is that it’s telling the population what they ‘might’ want to hear to attract votes. I couldn’t comment with certainty over this; however, considering that nobody sold at the previous price floor and that nothing was done to help reduce the cost to produce beer, I certainly think this argument has some validity.

So here we are, a couple of days before the Labour Day Weekend and a few brands have gone live with “buck-a-beer” compliant products, albeit only for a limited time. Why is that? In my opinion, because it’s not sustainable, even for the biggest of breweries.

Has this challenge harmed anyone or caused reason for real complaint? I don’t think in a significant way. For us, it really is a moot point. I’m only commenting because we get asked a lot, and I also find the discussion interesting. It does pose the question as to whether it encourages underage drinking, binge drinking and alcoholism as well as whether it is a diversion away from a more pressing political agenda. These are all topics worthy of considerable discussion.

I’m very interested to see how the new Ontario government continues to work toward benefitting the beer consumer with future initiatives, and if they make sense for our business, they’ll have our full support.

I’ll finish by commenting on a slightly different topic that arose due to our non-commitment to the “buck-a-beer challenge”. We, and other craft brewers, were recently accused of accepting government handouts while not taking the new government up on the challenge mentioned above. My feedback to this is short and straightforward. All of the government funding that we have received is calculated based on economic impact and is often only a percentage of the dollar value that we have to put forward to secure the funding. The support from the government has been fantastic on these projects, and they have resulted in significant job creation and other economic benefits.

Brewery News

Annual Staff Day

The brewery and pub will be closed Tuesday, September 4th at both Riverside and Lakeside to give ourselves a little time to rest, relax, and get tossed around by the Ottawa River. We would like to thank our staff for another amazing and busy Summer. Cheers!

Staff Rafting Day 2017

Beer 101

Dry Hopping: What is all the fuss about?

By Head Brewer Sean

With astrolabe showing strong sales, I’d like to talk about my decision to not dry hop this beer. That’s right. No dry hopping with all that aroma still there. First, let’s delve into what dry hopping is and why brewers do it.

Dry hopping is the process of adding hops to beer post fermentation. Sometimes people will add them during fermentation and some will wait until it is done. The reason for adding hops at this juncture is to add aroma (and some small flavour) to the beer. This will get it to another level of hoppy greatness… but does it?

Most brewers will tell you that dry hopping is essential to their IPAs and APAs. I however, am of the opposite opinion. With oxygen level being the biggest factor in aroma and flavour degradation, why would you want to add any when you have a nice closed system keeping it all out? I think this is just an old school way of thinking of hopping. I’m sure some brewers will think otherwise but I base my opinion on trial and error. I’ve always gotten better flavour with adding more hops to the end of the boil than I do adding them post ferment.

This is what I do for Astrolabe. I add a lot of hops to the whirlpool to get all the flavour and aroma for this beer. And it works perfectly.

Anybody out there feel differently? Do you feel dry hopping is essential to making an aromatic beer? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

A Note from the Chris’

Giving Back

Giving back was one of the key motivations that James, Chris and I had when wanting to start a business. We wanted to build a business that while hopefully turning a profit, would provide us with means to also give back to the community and the country that we love so much.

What’s been enlightening however is to realise that while we feel we do our bit by providing gift certificates, merchandise etc. to local charities and events to raffle off and raise money, there are countless people out there across Ontario that devoting their time to creating, supporting and running charitable organisations. Whether it be for charities focussing on long term care and terminal illness, or minor league hockey, it’s fantastic to see the commitment, effort and support that is provided from local and big business, and local communities as a whole. Without these people, contributing would be near impossible and no doubt would slip by. So thank you, its truly tremendous!

We don’t do very well at keeping track of the charities and organisations that we donate to, however its rare that we don’t have some form of fund raising campaign going on. We’re in the midst of wrapping up our Movember campaign where we can proudly say that thanks to the fantastic support of our friends, we’ve managed to raise a good sum of money for Men’s Health ($ amount to be announced in due course). Naturally we have some pretty stellar Mo’s to go with. This is wrapping up just in time to start our Christmas Canned Good collection.

Christmas is a time of joy and happiness but we mustn’t forget that there are those in need. Every Christmas we decide to collect canned goods that we deliver to the local food banks. In return for canned goods donations in our Lakeside Brew Pub, we’ll buy you a beer. Last year we were proud to deliver a whole delivery truck full of canned goods to the food banks so lets try and make it two this year! Come on in for a bite, bring some cans and have a pint.

Merry Christmas Friends!

ps. We’re all crazy excited for the 12 Beers of Christmas and hope you are too!

Brewery News

Bye Bye Moustache

As mentioned in our previous blog we have been campaigning heavily to raise money for men’s health through Movember. While the moustache game around the brewery has gone from teenage boy to full on 80’s police officer level, we have successfully raised over $900 for the Canadian Cancer Society. Thanks to those who donated and supported this great cause. Now back to beard season.

We’ll be home for Christmas

There are only 3 days a year we actually close the doors to the brewery. One of those days is our epic staff rafting trip at the end of the Summer and the other two are Christmas Day and Boxing Day. While we love seeing your beautiful faces every day we also love a little family time for ourselves. In addition we will be closing the Lakeside pub the evening of the 12th of December for our staff Christmas party which promises to be filled with egg nog and karaoke. Our pub will also be closed Christmas Eve but the Lakeside retail store will be open until 3pm for any of those last minute shoppers.

Christmas Gift Packs

Need something for the beer connoisseur on your list? Have a Secret Santa you’re shopping for? Well have we got the gift for you! Stop into our Lakeside retail store to see our Christmas gift pack options ranging from $25 to $50 and don’t forget about the 12 Beers of Christmas which are now available for pre-order. They are the perfect gift for that special someone or even that person at the office you don’t really know that well. The gift packs are also available on our website for free home delivery within the Ottawa Valley.

Beer 101

On the 12th Beer of Christmas

By Head Brewer Sean

I remember the first conversation about the 12 Beers of Christmas. It was 3 years ago and I remember the asking myself, “how am I going to pull this off?” It’s one thing to make seasonal styles, but to make 12 brand new recipes and have them all finish on schedule for packaging is a daunting task to say the least. Flash forward to this year, our third annual 12 pack, and we are starting to get used to it.

I often think of the 12 Beers of Christmas every month of the year. It is a stressful cloud that hangs over me all year long. We normally start the early conversations about this 12 pack in September. I choose the limited style that were well received the previous year. I take the opinion of social media, bar managers and our own staff to see which beers were the most popular. This sets the baseline for how many new recipes we need for that year. This year we kept six of the recipes from last year, so we needed to come up with six new styles/recipes. I like to take this time to give all my brewing staff the chance to give their input. Over about a month-long period my staff and I spitball ideas for new beer styles and all of them tend to be great but it’s hard to fit every one in the timeframe allotted. Some of the styles that didn’t make the cut this year were, Nutcracker Brown Ale, Spruce Tip Pale Ale and Spiced Chestnut Ale. We even talk about crazy flavours like Mincemeat Pie Cream Ale and Turkey Stuffing Smoked Rye IPA haha! Obviously not all can make the cut.

Once we have decided which recipes make the cut, we sit down and work out the recipes. Some of the brewers get free reign to make the recipe themselves, others prefer to work out the recipe with me. Either way, I make the final tweaks for our system and give some them some tips and tricks to accomplish the flavours needed. This process takes roughly a week and then its time to start the daunting task of brewing all the beer. This year we decided to increase the case count which means we needed to brew more days down at our Riverside Brew house. This year it took an entire month to get all the beer brewed, Not packaged, just brewed.

The first step is finding all of the different ingredients. I work with our head chef to get as many local ingredients from her suppliers as possible, then I try and find suppliers of the items we can’t find locally. Which this year was only one ingredient…Sweet Fern. We had one of our brewers go out and pick fresh sweet fern for the herb beer. It doesn’t get much more local than that.

The stress of the brewing and packaging schedule normally hits me hard this time of year but with the great staff we have, this has gone off without a hitch. Pulling all day and night bottling shifts and labeling until after midnight just to get them done. But this year we have been able to rock out 1000 bottles a day and this stops the lonely night bottling. I remember last year I came in for a shift that started at 2am. It had snowed 2 feet that night and I had to shovel my way into Riverside and when I finished my shift I had to shovel my way back out. Thankfully all the packaging is being done at our Lakeside location this year. They plow Highway 17 a bit quicker than Fletcher Road.

The main bulk of the packaging is being done now. We are labeling and bottling most days down at Lakeside. If you want to catch a glimpse of the 12 Beer of Christmas come on down for lunch and you’ll see us bottling away on the other side of the glass. You may even catch us doing some quality control, because that is a big part of the 12 beers of Christmas. 😉

Method

Events

12 Beers of Christmas Releases

December 1-12

For those of you that are new to the 12 Beers of Christmas, they aren’t just available to take home. Each of the first 12 nights of December we release one of the Christmas beers at a time at 12 different pubs across Ontario. Have a look at the list to see if there is one near you.

1st: Apple Pie Amber Ale @ The Burbs

2nd: Cindy Lou Brew Candy Cane Blonde @ Kully’s

3rd: A Valley Christmas Herb Ale @ TBD

4th: Pass the Cranberries Sour Ale @ Cheshire Cat

5th: Snackin’ Santa Milk and Cookies Stout @ Atomic Rooster

6th: Hey Puddin’ Sticky Toffee Pudding Strong Ale @ Mahtay Cafe

7th: Welcome to the Stage Brandy Butter ESB @ Beertown Waterloo

8th: Ho Ho Ho Smoked Spiced Stout @ Heirloom Cafe

9th: Brussels Stout Belgian Chocolate Stout @ Iggy’s

10th: Figgin’ Christmas Cake Fruit Cake Brown @ TBD

11th: Ugly Christmas Sweater White IPA @ Schnitzels

12th: Pop, Fizz, Clink Champagne Ale @ Beertown Waterloo

New Years Eve

December 31st

Come on out to our New Years Eve party at the Lakeside Brew Pub. This year we will have Jack and the Aces playing us into the new year with a champagne toast right as the ball drops. Stay tuned for more details.

Questions from Friends

Post Coming Soon

We want to answer your questions about anything from the beer, the brewery, the boys or whatever else is on your mind. Due to the high volume of questions though, we won’t be able to post every one, but keep your eyes peeled in case yours makes it to the front page.

If your question does get picked you will become the proud owner of a swag bag full of WBC goodies. So ask away!

*Questions from Friends is for general questions in the areas listed above. For personal inquiries please use thebreweryboys@whitewaterbeer.ca

A Note From the Chris’

On the Twelfth Beer of Christmas

It’s the time of year where for some, it’s the quiet before the storm. That peaceful gap between Thanksgiving and Christmas where we get leaves raked, boats put in storage and houses fully winterised. Well, that’s what it’s like for some. For our brewers, marketers and retail staff at the brewery it’s the mad scramble to design 12 beer recipes, 12 brands and order labels and boxes of those 12 beers and then package about 500 cases in whatever time is left!

That’s right, the 12 Beers of Christmas are back for the third year running and man everyone here is excited. We have some scrumptious new flavours in the tanks, we’ll have more 12 packs available than ever before and on Cyber Monday we’ll be offering a special discount on pre-ordered cases.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, every year we release 12 Christmas themed beers in a 12 pack, cleverly named, “The 12 Beers of Christmas”.

On December 1st, we start releasing each individual beer, one beer each day, at 12 different bars. These bars will be split across Ontario and have exclusivity to the beer. We then release the 12 pack on December 13 for pickup/delivery. Guess what, you’ve then got 12 days until Christmas so you get a little pre-Christmas treat of one new beer per day. A 12 pack is also a fantastic present for under the tree for a beer lover in your family/friendship group/co-worker.

Specifics on 2017’s flavours, pricing and how to get your hands on one of these beauties will be announced shortly on social media, our iphone app and our website. Stay tuned!

Cheers!

Chris Thompson & Chris Thompson

Brewery News

One Year Anniversary

We just recently celebrated our one year anniversary of our Lakeside location in Cobden, and boy what a year it’s been. In the past 12 months we’ve gone from brewing roughly 7,000 litres a month to brewing roughly 70,000 litres a month. We’ve also gone from having our beer available at approximately 400 places in the GTA, Ottawa, and Ottawa Valley regions to having it available at around 1000 places across Ontario. We now have 6 different brands in cans instead of just the 2 we had in 2016 and our staff has grown from 40 to 100 amazing employees. All of these numbers are still growing and we are very excited to see what the next year brings.

Movember

It’s that time of year again when the razors go into hiding and we get to see who can grow the thickest, longest, slickest moustache this town has ever seen. Whitewater Brewing Co. will be starting it’s own Movember team to raise money for prostate and testicular cancer research. The Movember fun doesn’t stop with us though. The brewery will be fundraising with different retail specials and events all month long so put away that razor and come on in to support Movember with us. Events, specials, and ways to donate will be advertised on our social media pages.

Beer League

As with any Canadian company, we have a few hockey buffs on staff, and these employees have taken it upon themselves to put in a hockey team this year. Thanks to Epic Promo of Ottawa we were able to get some very fashionable hockey jerseys so our team can play in style. Just look at those happy people.

Beer 101

Spent Grain Isn’t Just for the Farm

By Head Brewer Sean

Here at Whitewater Brewing Co. we go through a lot of spent grain. In our peak season we can have up to 9000 kg worth of spent grain that could be wasted. We’ve gotten creative though and found some other uses for it. While we can’t fit all of the grain into our pizza dough, we do feed a lot of farm animals with it. The beauty of keeping this to local farmers is that it gives us the opportunity to buy back some of their meat for us to use in our kitchen. We love the fact that we can feed the animals we serve here and support our local farming community as well. Farm animals aren’t the only ones that can enjoy this great product though.

There’s been a lot of buzz lately on cooking with the left-over malt from the brewing process. I’m sure some of you have had our pizza from our Riverside location where we use the spent grain in our dough recipe. This isn’t the only way to use this pre-loved food product though. One thing I love to do at home is use the grain to make dog treats. It’s an easy way to get treats for your dogs without breaking the bank that you know won’t be filled with preservatives and other nasty ingredients. There are so many recipes you can use spent grain in that will also appeal to your not so furry friends. Breads, pizza doughs, muffins and cookies are just some of the recipes available online. It even works as a crumble on top of your favourite dessert.

Here is my recipe for peanut butter dog treats.

Ingredients

– 4cups spent grain

– 1 cup whole wheat flour

– 1 cup smooth peanut butter

Method

Mix spent grain, flour and peanut butter together in a large bowl. Make sure that the flour and peanut butter are mixed thoroughly. Once you have a consistent batter, put flour down on the counter (so the dough doesn’t stick) and roll out to about a half inch in thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out whatever shape you like. I use dog bones and ginger bread men shapes. Pre-heat the oven to 350c. Place treat on a pan covered with parchment paper about half an inch apart. Bake treat in the oven for 40min, then reduce the heat to 275c and cook until hard and crisp. Depending on your oven this could take up to 3hrs. once they are rock hard take them out of the oven and cool. Package them up in containers and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them to keep longer as well as have cool treats for the Summer.

Events

Brewer’s Dinner: Hunter Edition

November 1

This five course meal will be served at our Lakeside pub in Cobden and includes five different types of wild game just in time for hunting season. Tickets are $50 and are available on our website but hurry because they won’t last long.

Ottawa Wine & Food Festival

November 3-5

One of our personal favourites, this festival puts the class in Class V. Enjoy 3 days of more food, wine, and craft beer than you could imagine. Check out all the details and grab some tickets here.

Gourmet Food & Wine Expo

November 16-19

This expo includes all things food and drink and features celebrity chef presentations, wine and craft beer enthusiasts, and live entertainment, all in the heart of Toronto. Check out their website for more details and tickets.

I Heart Beer Festival

November 25

Grab that ugly Christmas sweater and prepare yourself for the London I Heart Beer festival. This one included beer, ciders, spirits, and Santa Claus. For more information and tickets check out their website.

Questions from Friends

Mark Asked:

I live in Victoria, BC and tried your beer while visiting Ontario this Summer. I would love to get some of your delicious brew at home but it isn’t available outside of Ontario. How can I get some?

We answered:

Hi Mark,

It is now legal to ship beer across the country so you can either go on our website to order or contact our store in Cobden.

We want to answer your questions about anything from the beer, the brewery, the boys or whatever else is on your mind. Due to the high volume of questions though, we won’t be able to post every one, but keep your eyes peeled in case yours makes it to the front page.

If your question does get picked you will become the proud owner of a swag bag full of WBC goodies. So ask away!

*Questions from Friends is for general questions in the areas listed above. For personal inquiries please use thebreweryboys@whitewaterbeer.ca

A Note from the Chris’

Two Families, One Delicious Brew

Mireille & Head Brewer Sean at Houblonnierre Lupuline

We’ve been talking about hops a lot recently. Some would say too much. However, it’s harvest season and we are in the beer business after all.

About nine months before we opened the business, a good friend of ours, Marc, knew that we were working towards opening a brewery and mentioned a high school friend of his that was growing hops and needed help picking them with their first harvest. Now, I’ll be honest, I’m not sure if we thought it was going to be a legitimate operation or simply someone with some hops growing up the side of their house. Regardless we took Marc up on the offer and went and met with his friend Mireille, armed with beers for the occasion of course.

2017 Harvest

Upon arrival at the farm on L’Isle aux Allumettes, we were pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Mireille, her brother Charles, Charles’ wife Lyne, their children, and rows and rows or hop vines growing in their field.

Marc Bru (different Marc) from the now Square Timber Brewing Company was present and brewing up a beer on a home brew system in their garage which reinforced that the beer scene was alive and well.

With beers flowing, we were graciously welcomed and given the tour of the farm before beginning to pick some hops which back then, had to be done by pulling down the vines and picking each hop flower by hand. I distinctly remember seeing Mireille’s hands which were stained green and yellow from the lupuline oils in the flowers. From what I understand, this is still an issue today.

We left the hop farm invigorated by the opportunity to use locally grown hops in our beer and will always be thankful to our friend Marc for introducing us. This is just one of the ways that he drastically impacted our lives before sadly passing away about 18 months ago.

Our relationship with Mireille, Charles, Lyne and their children has grown along with their farm and it’s always a pleasure to host them in one of our breweries. In fact, tonight we’re opening up the Riverside Brew Pub to host Lyne’s 40th birthday celebration. We continue to almost exclusively use their hops in our beer and it’s been incredible to see them grow alongside us and maintain the ability to keep up with our growing requirements/your growing thirst.

These kinds of relationships define our business and we look forward to celebrating many more of them to come!

Brewery News

Toronto KLR93 Launch

On the 18th of this month we will be launching our new KLR93 Kolsch Style Ale in the big city of Toronto. This launch is being hosted by the Lucky Clover Irish Pub on Lower Simcoe Street and provides everyone attending with a chance to win some amazing prizes. And yes, the Killer himself will be there enjoying his very own brew.

We like big trucks and we cannot lie

Our beer has now become so widespread across the province that its time we graduated to a big boy/girl truck. Coming this month we are getting our very own 36′ truck to spread our delicious brew to more of you. I call shotgun!

Beer 101

Pumpkin Spice Latte Beer

By Head Brewer Sean

This is the season for pumpkin everything. And why would beer not be on that list? Pumpkin beer can be delicious but with one extra spice or too much it can go to gross in no time. This month lets discuss some tips and tricks to making a great pumpkin pie beer.

First, lets talk pumpkins and gourds. You would think using pumpkin is the only way to make pumpkin beer but there are many different gourds that can lend a great pumpkin pie taste. Some are easy to get and others can be hard to find gems. In the Ottawa Valley, pumpkins are easy to find so that is your best bet in this region but don’t have a one track mind when it comes to brewing. Butternut squash can be another great gourd to use that will lend some nice sweetness to the beer. From the USA there is Blue Hubbard Squash, Grey Ghost, and Jarrahdales but they are harder to find. All of these will lend differing flavours and can be a good way to stay unique in this style of beer.

Now what do you do with the pumpkin/gourd once you get them? There are really two ways of using them. One is to cut them up fresh, scoop out the seeds, and put them through a processor to shred them up. Then they are ready to add right to the mash. This will give you a nice subtle pumpkin flavour. If you want to go to the extreme you can cut them up and roast them in the oven (190c for an hour or until they look well caramelized). To take it that much further (as pumpkin spice beers always do) you can coat them in spices and brown sugar before you roast them to lock in those pumpkin pie flavours. I suggest adding roughly 1lb per 4litre of final wort. This will get you a lot of flavour.

Last is the spice. You can add as little or as much as you want. Some of the good spices you can use (in no order of preference) are nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and clove. When it comes to spice addition you need to be light handed or this beer can go from nice and light to cloying and horrible. I add a smaller amount of spice to the pumpkin at roasting and then the same amount at the end of the boil. Once fermentation is done you can taste the beer and add more spice if needed to taste. This way you are certain you have the flavour you want in the beer without going overboard.

Step by Step:

Bake Pumpkin slices with half the spices dusted on top for 1hr at 190 Â°C or until they look golden brown and soft . Heat 2.8 L (0.75 gallons) of water to 73 Â°C (163 Â°F). Place crushed grains in steeping bag and steep grains at 67 Â°C (152 Â°F) for 45 minutes. When pumpkin is ready, add chunks to grain bag and add cool water (to maintain 67 Â°C (152 Â°F) temperature). Combine grain and pumpkin “tea,” dried malt extract and water to make 9.5 L (2.5 gallons) of wort. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops at the start of the boil. Add liquid malt extract and remainder of spices with 15 minutes left in the boil. Cool wort and transfer to fermenter. Top up to 19 L (5 gallons) with water. Aerate and pitch yeast. Ferment at 21 Â°C (69 Â°F).

Method

Add remaining ingredients and simmer on medium low heat until potatoes have softened.

Season with salt and pepper. Remove sprigs of thyme and serve.

Events

WBC Oktoberfest

October 7

Come out to the Lakeside Brew Pub for our very own Oktoberfest celebration. Live music, pretzels, games, and of course our seasonal brew Das Bier. Tickets are on sale now in our retail stores or on our website.

Germania Club Oktoberfest

October 14

Music, dancing, and all the German food you could eat. Head over to the Germania club for their annual Oktoberfest. First keg is tapped at 1:45pm. For more details look here.

Toronto KLR93 Launch

October 18

See above in Brewery News for details.

Ottawa Valley Craft Beer Festival

October 21

This local craft brew fest is being hosted at the Best Western in Pembroke. Come out and see/taste 12 fantastic local breweries and enjoy what Ottawa and the Valley have to offer. For more information and tickets look here.

WBC Halloween Party

October 28

Dust off those costumes and wigs. We will be hosting our annual Halloween party at our Lakeside Brew Pub in Cobden. Stay tuned for more details.

Questions from Friends

Peter asked:

Can you make beer, like champagne, in a “method tradionel” that means natural carbonation, rather then adding CO2 afterwards?

We answered:

Hello Peter,

Great question! Yes you can. There are a lot of breweries that carbonate their beer naturally. Especially in Germany where you aren’t allowed to force carbonate beer. The way you do this is by adding sugar at packaging. The residual yeast left over in the beer will consume this sugar and create CO2 naturally in the beer. The more sugar you add, the higher volume of carbonation you will get. Homebrewers use this all the time when bottling at home. The reason we do not use this method in the brew house is to control CO2 volume in the beer and speed up packaging time. It would take us an extra 2 weeks to naturally condition the beer. Breweries like Sierra Nevada have naturally conditioned their packaged product for years and they do a great job at it.

Thanks again for your great question!

We want to answer your questions about anything from the beer, the brewery, the boys or whatever else is on your mind. Due to the high volume of questions though, we won’t be ableÂ to postÂ every one, but keep your eyes peeled in case yours makes it to the front page.

If your question does get picked you will become the proud owner of a swag bag full of WBC goodies. So ask away!

*Questions from Friends is for general questions in the areas listed above. For personal inquiries please use thebreweryboys@whitewaterbeer.ca

A Note from the Chris’

Ninety Six Employees but a Team of Thousands

How does a business that started with three unpaid river bums get to a point where that team is now 96 employees strong? Damned if we know but that team is in reality actually many thousands strong! James, Chris and I started this adventure nearly 5 years ago, brewing in what would later be the bathroom for the Riverside brew pub. We chose that location for 3 reasons.

Our brew system was small enough to fit in it

It was easy to heat during the winter

It had very good ventilation

On any given brew day in the Summer it would reach temperatures of 60C. Walking into the room almost felt like physically walking into a wall of heat. A typical day involved brewing from 6am to 1pm and then going out and doing deliveries while someone else did the reverse. Ryan would have been our first employee. He was a high school co-op student and fit in well as he also wasn’t being paid. He later became an employee and entered the brewers program in Niagara (one of the highlights of our five years). From there it was a slow growth of the brew team who also acted as sales reps, delivery drivers, handyman/women, etc.

The next department to grow was our sales department. The other Chris and I continued to act as sales reps (or beer pimps as I preferred to call myself) as we hired our first and second sales reps. It is only recently (as we have grown capacity wise) that we have grown this team to 11 employees out on the front lines. Despite the pub(s) we are a brewery first and foremost.

When our pub at Riverside opened this is when our family really grew. The number of cooks and servers needed to run even a modest pub the size of Riverside is impressive. 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, means a lot of people have to be ready to jump into the fray sometimes with only a moment’s notice. Add the fact the we source local ingredients and cook from scratch and you might begin to see their importance.

The opening of the Lakeside Brew Pub at the end of October 2016 did not really affect things much as many of those staff from Riverside just came over to the Lakeside location. However, it was at this time that we decided to bring our deliveries in-house and move away from third party delivery companies. This was to improve quality of service and allow us another touch point to interact with our bar clients. We deliver to bars as far south as Windsor/Sarnia and as north as Thunder Bay. These boys move thousands of litres every day and need to do it with a smile as they represent the brewery more often than even the sales reps.

In March, we started brewing at the Lakeside location which was when we had to develop a packaging team. 7000L is a lot of kegs and cans to fill but first you have to clean them all. Add into this the Riverside Brew Pub and retail getting ready to open for the summer and before you know it you now have 96 employees.

Three river bums have done a lot of fun and great things over the last five years. However, the one I’m most proud of is having a team of 96 people spreading the Whitewater love. And none of this could have been without the support of the people and restaurants of the area. Thank you, and take a moment to reflect on what you’ve done in just five years. You’ve done great things but we have greater things to do.

Cheers!

Chris Thompson & Chris Thompson

Brewery News

Staff Raft Trip 2016

We’re taking a day for ourselves

Every year, after the Labour Day long weekend we decide its time to reward ourselves after a long Summer of steamy brewing days and loud and busy nights. Tuesday, September 5th both Lakeside and Riverside will be fully closed so we can have a staff trip down the Ottawa River and another loud night. We will be open for regular business on Wednesday, September 6th.

Riverside Closing for the Season

Have you ever noticed that our Riverside location is actually in an old dairy barn? Well its not just for show, and because of this it is actually quite difficult to heat when the temperature goes down. For this and other reasons we will be closing our Forester’s Falls Brew Pub for the season but will open back up in April of 2018. It’s been a great Summer folks and we will see you when the snow has melted. Or in Cobden whenever you want.

Beer 101

Hop on the New Crop

By Head Brewer Sean

It’s that time of year again when the new gorgeous hop cones will be picked and processed. For brewers, this is our Christmas as we get to use up our prior crop of hops and get the super fresh hops. Here at WBC we get 95% of our hops from Houblonniere Lupuline across the river on L’Isle-aux-Allumettes in Quebec. They supply us with all of our hops for Farmer’s Daughter, Whistling Paddler, Class V and Midnight Stout. These varieties are Cascade, Centennial, Magnum and Willamette. We also get some other varieties from them for our seasonal beers like Jacked Rabbit and Triple Eh’. We have found working with this local company to be the best decision we have ever had. They have the nicest staff and are very helpful with whatever needs occur.

Hops are the flowers that come from the hop plant. Hop plants are vine plants that grow long and tall. They can grow up to 20’ during the season. They grow like any vine plant twisting around ropes strung up on poles. As you can see in the picture above they grow very tall. Once the flowers are mature and the lupuline oils are in line with the needs from brewers, they are chopped down and picked. At this point they dry them and either package as whole cone or process through a pelletizer. Most breweries use pellet hops because they last long and you get better utilization from them. Here at WBC we use both whole cone and pellet hops. I’m sure if you have any other questions the fine people at Lupuline Hopyards would be happy to answer them. Either way we should all be happy it’s almost harvest time. Fresh hops for all!

Best Paired with KLR93

Ingredients

Method

Drizzle over pan seared duck breast or use as a dipping sauce for homemade spring rolls.

Events

Kingston Ribfest & Craft Beer Fest

September 8-10

Live entertainment, ribs, craft beer, and a kids fun zone. Fun for the whole family and free admission. And did I mention ribs? For more information look here.

Head for the Hills

September 16

Welcome to Georgetown, home of the Head for the Hills Craft Beer Festival. This isn’t just any craft beer festival though. This one day event is entirely volunteer run and benefits local charities. For more information and tickets look here.

Canada Army Run

September 17

This military inspired run is everything Canadian Armed Forces. 5k, 10k and Half Marathon are all still available to register for and when you hit the finish line, you’ll receive not only cheers, but one of our beers as well. Check it out here.

Questions from Friends

Barry asked:

Is KLR93 available in the LCBO?

We answered:

Hi Barry. While KLR93 is not yet available in the LCBO we will be applying in the next application window. It is likely you will see it in The Beer Store or select grocery stores as early as this autumn. Cheers.

We want to answer your questions about anything from the beer, the brewery, the boys or whatever else is on your mind. Due to the high volume of questions though, we won’t be able to post every one, but keep your eyes peeled in case yours makes it to the front page.

If your question does get picked you will become the proud owner of a swag bag full of WBC goodies. So ask away!

*Questions from Friends is for general questions in the areas listed above. For personal inquiries please use thebreweryboys@whitewaterbeer.ca

A Note from the Chris’

Two Different Perspectives on our part of Canada

It’s no secret I did not enjoy/appreciate growing up in the Ottawa Valley. I think this is typical of most teenagers in particular, but also people in general. I imagine the majority of those that live in Toronto don’t go to the CN tower and those in Niagara only go to the falls when they have company who want to see it. And I, like some teenagers (and some adults), enjoyed thinking and expressing my well-founded opinion that “there was nothing to do in the Valley but drink beer and play pool.” It was not until I came back from University that I realized (and not for the only time since) I was an idiot.

Five years of Computer Science at the University of Waterloo had caused pinched nerves along my back. I was instructed to go to the gym but really couldn’t make myself do it. This is what got me into finding alternatives to the gym. This is what had me looking into rafting, climbing, paddling, biking, etc. It was at this point that I started what I would look at over a decade later as the beginning of my love of the Ottawa Valley part that is Canada. It is not just the outdoors, running with scissors type stuff I enjoy. Through my travels I have really come to enjoy little parts of Canadiana. I used to be embarrassed that we were known for being polite and having an accent. I love and embrace it now and secretly wonder if all Canadians should take a personality test before leaving the country so they don’t ruin that reputation. I love that people I don’t event known will do the two finger steering wheel wave as I drive from brewery to home. I love that I can leave my house and car unlocked. I love that people I don’t know will make eye contact and say “hi” as we pass on the street enjoying the fresh air, the green trees and peace and annoying little yappy dogs.

The OTHER Chris on the other hand had a fresh perspective. Having come from Australia or France or wherever it is he claims he’s from, he started with a winter out west over a decade ago. He then came to the Valley that summer which is where we met and spent a summer learning about the Ottawa River together. He was still in University but kept returning each summer to enjoy what many of us take for granted. Rafting, kayaking, golf, snowboarding, skiing are a few of his favorite things (at this very moment I am writing this last sentence with a picture of Julie Andrews singing it in the Sound of Music… with the OTHER Chris beside her). Sure, he may say “whilst” and say “rooter” instead of “router” but It has taken him a far shorter time to appreciate not only the country but also the people than myself.

With Canada Day fast approaching I am particularly proud and humbled by all the opportunity and support that my fellow Canadians have shown the other Chris and I. From our every growing Canadian team to you, HAPPY CANADA DAY and cheers….eh!

Chris Thompson & Chris Thompson

Brewery News

KLR93

It’s no longer a secret! We have partnered with the Killer himself. That’s right, WBC and Hockey Hall or Famer Doug Gilmour have collaborated to bring you a Kolsch-Style Ale with an IBU of 25 and ABV of 4.6%. You can expect a crisp and balanced flavour with a refreshing finish and a can design that has Killer written all over it…literally. You should expect to see these cans for sale before the end of the Summer in our retail locations and more widely available soon after.

#Alwaystimetoplay Festival

Perfect weather, good friends, awesome music, and even better beer made the first annual #alwaystimetoplay festival a success. Because of this success, you can expect to see us host round 2 of this outdoor music and activity festival next year. Same time, same place, more awesomeness.

Beer 101

Let’s Make Some Alcohol

By Head Brewer Sean

If you have been following along our journey through brewing we are now at the fermentation process. If you haven’t, stop reading and go back a few posts to catch up. For those of you that have been reading, we have produced our fermentable wort and chilled it into the fermenter. That’s all good, but when does the wort become beer? Well we have to ferment it of course.

First, we will need to add yeast. Brewer’s yeast consumes sugar and turns it into alcohol. This is a very basic explanation on what it does but in reality there are a lot more variables and conditions it needs, to work correctly. Yeast goes through 3 main stages in the wort.

Stage one: Growth

Yeast are a budding type of organism which means they procreate by duplicating. One cell is spit out of another. The yeast will grow to their environment and stop producing once they have hit a happy amount to consume the sugars available.

Stage two: Primary Fermentation

In this stage the yeast has stopped growth and starts to consume the sugars. There are a lot of chemical reactions in this process but for the most part they take the sugar into the cell and spit out ethanol and CO2. These are the main by-products of fermentation. As the sugars are consumed the yeast work harder and create a lot of heat. We need to control this heat so the yeast doesn’t get too active and start spitting out bad flavours in the beer. Other flavours are products in this process called esters and phenols. Esters are the fruity flavours from yeast which can range from banana, apple, pear, plum etc. Phenols are spice characters such as pepper and other earthy flavours. These flavours aren’t strong in every beer and sometimes you don’t realize they are there, but they’re what make beer taste like beer. Without these flavours the beer would taste funny. Not every yeast strain produces phenols and when the sugars are all consumed the yeast start their next phase.

Stage Three: Secondary Fermentation/ Conditioning Phase

In this stage, the yeast starts to go to sleep. They have run out of sugar and start taking in all the weird flavours they have produced and store them in the cell for when they go dormant. This stage is very important or you can have off flavours in your beer that can range from butter and butterscotch to harsh fruity flavours.

Now that we know what the yeast is doing we can go through the process. Once the wort is in the tank we reclaim yeast that has gone through its third stage and gone to sleep. We pump this yeast into the fermenter after it is full. It takes about 3-5 days for the yeast to go through its entire life cycle. During this cycle we are controlling the temperature of the fermentation with glycol cooled jackets. This allows us to keep the temperature at a happy place for the yeast to work hard and not get stressed out. After that is done and the alcohol is reached we cold crash the fermenter to help drop the yeast to the bottom as well as clear out any hops and proteins left over from the process. Once it is crashed down to 0 degrees Celsius, we push the finished beer over to the Bright Beer Tank. This is a conditioning tank that allows the beer to clear and gets the beer off the yeast. Once it has sat in that tank for a day or two we force carbonate the beer to the desired carbonation level. We are then ready for packaging.

Fermentation is a very important part of the brewing process. As we say, “brewers make wort, yeast makes beer.” I hope this clears up some of the questions on yeast and fermentation. Please feel free to write in with any questions you have about brewing beer and the process. I will be glad to answer anything.

Cooking with Beer

Whistling Paddler Braised Cabbage

By Head Chef Sarah

Best Paired with Whistling Paddler

Ingredients

6 strips of bacon

1 Granny Smith apple

1/2 head red cabbage

1/2 cup Whistling Paddler

1 cup white vinegar

Method

Chop bacon slices and start frying in heavy bottomed pot

Slice apple and sauté in bacon fat with bacon

Deglaze the bottom of the pot with Whistling Paddler

Add finely sliced cabbage and vinegar to pot, let simmer for 30-45 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

Pairs well with our Farmer’s Son sausage, made locally and sold at our Lakeside retail location.

Events

WBC Annual Charity Golf Tournament

July 8

We will be hosting our second annual WBC Charity Golf Tournament at the Oaks of Cobden on Saturday, July 8th. Proceeds from this event will be donated to the Ottawa River Keepers and Cobden Food Bank. Prizes have been donated by the Royal Canadian Legion, Olmstead’s Home Hardware, Whitewater Village and more. We also have a Royal LePage $10,000 Hole in One so sign up your team today for your chance to win. Email events@whitewaterbeer.ca to sign up your foursome.

Whitewater Streetstrut

July 15

The town of Cobden is closing it’s main street on Saturday, July 15th to welcome the community to listen to live music and check out local vendors. 12pm-5pm is free and tickets are available at multiple locations for The Headstones at 7pm. You can grab your pre-sale tickets at the Brewery, Whitewater Municipal Office, Olmstead’s Home Hardware, Cobden Shell, Kenny’s Store, or the Beachburg Pronto.

Kitchener Ribfest & Craft Beer Show

July 14, 15 & 16

Mmmmm Ribs. Mmmmmm Beer. Check out this match made in heaven in downtown Kitchener. Free admission and only $6 to get your beer drinking wristband. For more information look here.

Because Beer – Hamilton

July 14 & 15

There are way to many things happening at this festival to list so check out their website to see all the details. Why? #becausebeer

Livestock Niagara

July 22

Free music, arts festival, and beer market. This is a free community event with over 40 bands and plenty of artisan vendors, visual artists, and craft breweries. Check it out here.

Questions from Friends

Geoffrey asked:

I’ve been to your brew pub in Cobden and loved that you can see into the brewery. It was very entertaining to watch what happens behind the scenes. My wife and I were trying to guess how many beers would be in one of those tanks so I thought I’d get the real answer from you guys. Any guesses?

We answered:

Hi Geoffrey. We have something better than guesses! One of our fermenters fits 7000 litres of beer when it is full. That roughly translates to 150 kegs or 15,000 cans. Enough to supply just a few good parties.

We want to answer your questions about anything from the beer, the brewery, the boys or whatever else is on your mind. Due to the high volume of questions though, we won’t be able to post every one, but keep your eyes peeled in case yours makes it to the front page.

*Questions from Friends is for general questions in the areas listed above. For personal inquiries please use thebreweryboys@whitewaterbeer.ca

A Note from the Chris’

Whitewater on our Minds

11 years ago, Wilderness Tours was ramping up for another summer of fun on the Ottawa River while Chris, James and I were unknowingly about to embark on a life changing 4 months. The 3 of us were starting as rookie raft guides having never met and as my namesake says, we were set to either be great friends or mortal enemies. Some say keep your friends close and your enemies closer so maybe we’re still to find out but for now I’m confident it was the former.

It was our incredible summers at WT that kept us returning to the Ottawa Valley and we found ourselves sharing our stories over a beer, or two, or more on the Rafters deck. Over the years, Wilderness Tours has changed in so many ways but at the same time, has not changed at all. The yearly return of some of the most interesting, adventurous and exciting people, combined with the incredible rushing waters of the Ottawa River have already provided us with a lifetime worth of memories.

People have started arriving, Chris, Blake and I have been paddling down the river and as our friends at WT are ramping up for another successful summer on Rafting Road, we’d like to congratulate Joe, Sue, Joel, Katie and all of the WT family in advance of their Rafters Re-opening. Throughout the winter they have successfully revamped the Rafters Restaurant and it’s looking spectacular. Opening this May, we’re looking forward to spending many evenings this summer enjoying the new décor, new menu and the best patio view in the Ottawa Valley, albeit with a Whitewater Beer in hand.

Cheers!

Chris Thompson & Chris Thompson

Brewery News

Birthday Bash & #Alwaystimetoplay Festival

Whitewater Brewing Co. is almost 4 years old and we want to celebrate in style. We will be hosting a birthday bash and one day festival that is all things playful. Craft beer vendors, delicious food, volleyball tournament, brewery Olympics and more are waiting for you at the Riverside brewery on the Ottawa River this June. Get your tickets this month for only $15 in store or here.

Save the Bees

For the month of May we are partnering with Olmstead’s Home Hardware of Cobden to give back to Mother Earth. All home deliveries will be accompanied with a small packet of wildflower seeds that can be sprinkled anywhere and will grow with zero maintenance. These packets come at no cost and will allow our local bee population to thrive and give back to us by pollinating many of the plants that we eat or use everyday. Order your home delivery here.

Legion Lager Now on Sale

Legion Lager is now on sale and available at the Brewery. While only a few bars and Legions are currently carrying this refreshingly crisp beer, we aim to have it across Ontario in the near future. The same goes for the Beer Store, LCBO, and Grocery Stores so keep your eyes peeled. If you live in the Ottawa Valley and you would like to order some Legion Lager for free home delivery you can do so here. Remember, 5% of every purchase of Legion Lager goes directly back to The Royal Canadian Legion Veterans programs.

Beer 101

Opening the Vault on Malt

By Head Brewer Sean

As a brewer, one of my frequently asked questions is “what is malted barley and how is it different to the barley you can buy at the farm feed store?” Well, the answer is simple, but first, we should know why the barley is malted.

The main purpose for the malted barley in brewing is to get sugar. Sugar is consumed by the yeast to create alcohol. The reason we can get this sugar so easily is because the barley (and other grain) is malted. The malting process makes the sugar more accessible.

The Malting Process

Let’s first talk about how the barley is malted to gain access to that sweet sugar. They take the barley kernel and partially germinate it. This makes the seed’s resources available to the brewer. During this process, we breakdown the barrier to gain access to the starch in the kernel. Without this process, we couldn’t get as much starch and flavour out of the barley as required. We need to be very efficient and therefore we need the malting process to save time and money on the brewing process. Once the malting process is complete, the farmers dry the barley to lock in the openings for the starch. Once dry, they take the barley and toast/roast it to differing colours and flavours. Farmers can produce hundreds of different colours and flavours of malted barley which makes building new beer recipes quite the task.

The Mashing Process

Now that we have the malted barley, what do we do with it? We mash it! The mashing process is where we convert the starch into sugar. Depending on the recipe we use 1-10 different malt varieties to get the colour and flavours needed. We then put this malted grain through a mill to crack open the kernel, gaining better access to the starches. We add the crushed malt and hot water together in our Mash Tun. Depending on the temperature we can get differing breakdowns of those starches and flavours. This will add body and sugar to the beer. The mashing process takes roughly 90 minutes to convert all that starch into sugar. At that point we make the sweet liquor turn into wort (we will go through that process next time.) Sweet liquor is essentially sugar water and it has all the colour and malt flavour needed for the beer style we are making.

I hope this helps with the questions about malted barley and what we do with it. In Issue No. 5, we will talk about what happens with that sweet liquor and how it gets turned into wort, which is pre-fermented beer.

Cooking with Beer

Class V Lemon Bars

By Head Chef Cory

Best Paired with Class V

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

6 tbsp. unsalted butter

pinch salt

Filling

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup Class V

Powdered sugar for dusting

Yield: 10-12 bars

Method

Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, add flour, powdered sugar, butter, and salt. Process until well combined.

Press mixture into the bottom of a greased 8×8 pan. (For a 9×13 pan, double the recipe). Chill for 15 minutes.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes). This will help the crust and filling to stay in two distinct layers.

Filling

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, sugar, and cornstarch. Add in the lemon juice and beer. Stir until combined. Pour the filling over the cooled crust. Bake until the centre has set, about 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before refrigerating. Chill for 2 to 3 hours before cutting. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Events

Ladies Night: Mother’s Day Edition

May 13

The first party at the Riverside Brew Pub for the season is a ladies only Mother’s Day party. Your $25 ticket includes your first drink, appetizers, and live music. Tickets are selling fast though so get yours here.

Bayfield Beer and Food Festival

May 13

Did you read the title? Is there anything more you need than beer and food? Check it out and purchase your tickets here.

Riverside Brew Pub Opens

May 19

Not really an event but still big news. Riverside will be opening for some weekends in May and then 7 days a week as of June 1st.

Palmer River Fest

May 19

Whitewater paddling fun for all abilities. This outdoor festival includes paddling clinics, live music, a beer garden, yoga, and vendors of various products. Check it out here.

Birthday Bash & #Alwaystimetoplay Festival

June 3

As stated above, this one day festival is going to be the event of the Summer. Tickets available here.

Questions from Friends

Cassie asked:

I called to make a reservation the other day and they told me I had a time limit on my table. Why?

We answered:

Before 7:30pm, we limit the time allocated per reservation in our busy times so that we have a reasonable balance between the number of reservations we accept per day and the time per. This hopefully limits the number of people that are upset by being turned away. We typically allocate between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on group size which should be plenty of time to enjoy your meal and atmosphere. If you’re somebody that likes to sit, relax and take in the live music, we get that too, and any reservations after 7:30pm are unlimited in time.

We want to answer your questions about anything from the beer, the brewery, the boys or whatever else is on your mind. Due to the high volume of questions though, we won’t be able to post every one, but keep your eyes peeled in case yours makes it to the front page.

*Questions from Friends is for general questions in the areas listed above. For personal inquiries please use thebreweryboys@whitewaterbeer.ca

A Note from the Chris’

Reminiscing

This month was another big month in that we brewed our first batch at the Lakeside location. After a long day that went surprisingly smooth, the other Chris and I sat down to enjoy a pint as we do from time to time, and as we also do from time to time, we started reminiscing about “the old days”. It may have been the excitement of the day, it may have been the alcohol, regardless it was a fun trip down memory lane!

Brewing in a barn by the Ottawa River.

Brewing in a barn by Muskrat Lake.

Manually milling 14kg of grain per batch.

Automatically milling 700kg per batch.

Brewing 50L batches.

Brewing 3000L batches.

Delivering beer in a van.

Delivering beer in a Civic.

Loyal supporters filling whatever they can.

Loyal supporters who don’t even need to leave their vehicle.

Brewed by Friends, for Friends 2012.

Brewed by Friends, for Friends 2016.

Thanks for all your support and helping to make this happen. Queue Neil Diamond. “Where it began, I can’t begin to know it…”

Chris Thompson & Chris Thompson

Brewery News

Fermenter #3

Only a few days after our first brew we had our third fermenter delivered to the Lakeside location. After a few hours of trying to turn it upright it is now in place and nearly ready to brew into. This fermenter will be able to hold roughly 7000 litres of our delicious beer.

Local Business Partnerships

If you’ve been on our home delivery page lately you may have noticed we started a monthly special. Every month we aim to partner with a local business that makes something unique to the Ottawa Valley and pair it with our beer for free home delivery. Last month we worked with The Flower Factory in Renfrew to deliver Valentine’s Day gifts to our friends in the Valley. March is St. Patrick’s Day themed with handmade beer mugs from Big Bend Pottery of Westmeath. Order yours between March 1st and 16th for free home delivery within the Ottawa Valley.

500ml Bottles of Seasonal Beer

Sometime in the next month we will be announcing the release of our Seasonal beers in 500ml bottles. These bottles will be available for purchase in our retail store while quantities last so keep your ear to the ground to hear when they come out.

Cans on Cans on Cans

Some of our first brews in the new system were Whistling Paddler and Midnight Stout. Currently fermenting, these batches will be the first to ever be put in cans. Next stop, your fridge. Stay tuned for the Whistling Paddler and Midnight Stout Can Release Party dates. You can pre-order your case or ticket here.

Beer 101

Put it in the Glass

By Head Brewer Sean

Last month we went over some glass styles to give your beer its optimal taste and appearance. This month, let’s touch on how you should get your beer in that favourite glass. I’m sure you are thinking, “What do you mean? That’s the easy part.” While it certainly isn’t difficult, if you want that proper pour it is important to pay attention to the style of carbonation used in the beer you’re about to drink.
First, lets touch base on the different forms of carbonation. There are the standard bottles and cans we are all used to that would be filtered and force carbonated-these beers have a simple pouring method which many people are familiar with. The “standard” pouring technique, outlined below, is the most common method for getting that beer in the glass.

Step 1: Pop the cap or crack the can.Step 2: Tilt your glass on a 45° angle.Step 3: Start pouring the beer into the 45° glass until half full
Pour with vigour! When pouring a beer, you want to pour with some force so that you release some of the carbonation for head retention* and let the aromatics of the beer come out.Step 4: Once the glass is over half full start slowly raising the glass upright.Step 5: Once upright you should only have enough beer left to put a finger’s width of head on the beer.

Easy enough, right?
The standard method is the one everyone is used to and has probably seen the most. The pouring method changes though when you change the style of carbonation. The other 2 styles are Natural Carbonation (bottle conditioned) and Nitrogenized (Guinness).

Pouring a Naturally Carbonated Beer

Naturally carbonated beers are normally in special bottles like 750ml cork and cage, or they are labelled bottle conditioned, or bottle fermented. This style of beer can have a lot of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. This sediment is yeast and trub* from the brewing process and neither are bad for you, but they can change the flavour of the beer and make the beer cloudy. You need to be a bit more careful when pouring these beers than you would be with the typical style of carbonation. Using the standard method, but pouring a little slower and leaving a bit behind is the best way to get all the good stuff and none of the bad. I personally try to leave about 2 inches of beer in the bottle, but what you leave behind is dependent on the beer you’re pouring.

Pouring a Nitrogenized Beer

These beers have either been strictly nitrogenized or have been given a combination of CO2 and Nitrogen. Using the standard method to pour these would leave you with a flat and lifeless beer with no head so they should instead be poured hard and fast. Below is the method you should use next time you pour that can of Guinness.

Step 1: Open can/bottle of nitro beer (if there is a nitro widget you’ll hear it whistle).Step 2: Put glass on a flat table or hold upright.Step 3: Pour beer into glass hard and fast. The bottle/can should be completely upside down. This may seem strange but it won’t overflow if you have the proper size of glass.Step 4: Once bottle/can is empty, sit back and watch that beautiful cascading head.

By following the methods listed above, the next time you pour at home, you’ll achieve that “on tap” experience with ease.
Pour hard & drink proper!

What the #@&% does that mean?!

Head Retention

An important characteristic in beer is its ability to retain a nice foamy head for a long period of time. Commercial brewers go to great lengths to improve head retention by using a variety of additives.

Trub

In the brewing process, trub is the layer of sediment left at the bottom of the fermenter after the yeast has completed the bulk of the fermentation. It is composed mainly of heavy fats, proteins, and inactive yeast.

Cooking with Beer

Class V Hummus

Best Paired with Class V

Ingredients

2 Cans of Chickpeas, drained and well rinsed

3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1/2 Cup of Tahini

1 Lemon, juiced

1/2 Cup of Class V

Pita, Naan, or Crostini

Method

Combine all ingredients except Class V IPA in a food processor or sturdy blender. Begin blending at high speed. Slowly pour in Class V and push down sides until desired consistency is reached.

Chill for 2 hours to allow the flavours to come together.

Pictured, is a deep-fried pita bowl with pita chips, but you can use anything you want for dipping. If you want to achieve the bowl shape with your pita and don’t have a deep fryer, simply sprinkle some cooking oil on a pita, trap it between two oven safe bowls of the same size, and bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until crispy and golden. Let cool before filling with hummus.

Garnish with chives and a little bit of your favourite salsa.

Events

Brockville Winter Classic

March 3rd, 4th & 5th in Brockville

Hockey and beer, need we say more? We will be pouring samples and watching the winter fun in Brockville this weekend. Check out our involvement here.

Great Canadian Maple Festival

March 3rd, 4th & 5th in Ottawa

A celebration of everything maple with live entertainment, craft beer, lumberjacks, and pancakes. Free admission. Check out our involvement here.

Northern Ontario Micro Brew Festival

March 10th & 11th in Sudbury

The 3rd annual Northern Ontario Microbrew Festival features live music and a small number of breweries showing off their small batch brews. Check out the details here.

Runway for Hope

March 12th in Ottawa

All about supporting local and bringing people to the nation’s capital. Runway for Hope is a fashion show featuring Ottawa designers that has the added benefit of raising donations for C.H.E.O. Check out our involvement here.

Roast Dinner

Every Sunday

Your choice of roast pork, roast beef, or roast chicken with potatoes and vegetables the way Mama used to make ’em. Let our Whitewater family cook for your family. Minimum 4 people with 5 days notice. Served family style for $10 per person. Call 613-646-0101 for reservations

Pub Quiz Night

Every Monday

Feeling competitive? What better way to get it out of your system than a good old fashioned Pub Quiz. Starts at 7pm every Monday but be sure to make a reservation to guarantee a spot for you and your team. Call 613-646-0101 for reservations.

Questions from Friends

Corrie asked:

This roast dinner of yours…is it British Sunday roast influenced? Roast potatoes? Yorkshire? Been looking all over for an accurate one but haven’t been successful yet.

We answered:

Why yes Corrie, it certainly is influenced by the traditional British Roast Dinner. We have tried to be as authentic as possible, but with our own local twist of course. Feel free to give the pub a call if you have more questions or want to book your dinner. Just remember it has to be booked 5 days ahead. Cheers.

Jaimie asked:

What Seasonal beers are coming out next? When do you start brewing your Wheat beers?

We answered:

Hi Jaimie. Our Jacked Rabbit Espresso IPA is next in line and after that we will be brewing our Honey Badger Northern Honey Brown Ale. The Wheat beers you mentioned come out in May (Ginger Wheat) and shortly after (Rhubarb Wheat) when the rhubarb grows. Cheers.

We want to answer your questions about anything from the beer, the brewery, the boys or whatever else is on your mind. Due to the high volume of questions though, we won’t be able to post every one, but keep your eyes peeled in case yours makes it to the front page.

*Questions from Friends is for general questions in the areas listed above. For personal inquiries please use thebreweryboys@whitewaterbeer.ca

A Note from the Chris’

Friends, Community, and Beer

Hey friends, Chris & Chris here. Welcome to our first monthly newsletter/blog. We wanted to put this together to make sure everyone knows of all the fun stuff we have going on at the brewery, as well as to share some awesome beer education and cooking with beer recipes. We hope you look forward to reading this each month and please let us know if there are things you’d like to see in the next issue.

But first! It’s been a busy 3 years and 7 months since we first opened the brewery down on Fletcher Road. With nothing shy of fantastic support from our local communities, we have been able to grow continuously and with the brewpub portion of our new Lakeside location fully operational, we are now proud to have over 50 incredible friends working with us. It’s been a long and arduous road but thanks to the hard work of our brew team and a niche group of local trades, we’re also proud to say that our first brew at the Lakeside location is pencilled in for February 14th in celebration of our true and undying love for beer. All things going well, we’ll be swimming in fermenters of beer before we know it.

Finally, we strive for nothing less than excellence when it comes to not only the quality of our beer, but for every interaction you have with Whitewater Brewing Company. If you had anything shy of that level of experience, please let us know via our website, Facebook Reviews, Trip Advisor or the old-fashioned way, in person.

Thanks for your ongoing support

Chris Thompson & Chris Thompson

Brewery News

Canpaign Update

For those of you that have pre-ordered your Whistling Paddler and Midnight Stout, thank you. Your support has enabled us to add these brands to our can lineup and will be the first two brews on the new system. We look forward to celebrating with you at our launch parties!

One More Way to get Whitewater

In the aim of increasing convenience for you all, we’re proud to introduce, in addition to our free home delivery, our new Beer Drive-Thru. Currently operating on Friday’s and Saturday’s from 3pm-8pm. Stay warm and dry in your car while we place your order in the trunk.

Sobey’s, Whitewater, and JDRF

We are excited to announce that for February, Farmer’s Daughter will be Sobey’s Beer of the Month. This means you could catch us next time you get your groceries at Sobey’s, Fresh Co., or Safeway in Ontario giving away free samples of our Farmer’s Daughter Blonde Ale. In addition, 5% of the sales of our beer at any of these stores will be going to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Be sure to stop by to your closest Sobey’s and support JDRF.

Beer 101

Raise a Glass! But is it the Right One?

By Head Brewer Sean

From the Summertime patio Wheat Beer to the Russian Imperial Stout in the dead of Winter, drinking different styles of beer has become increasingly popular. The one thing some people don’t realize however, is that there is a way to make that beer taste and smell even better than it already does. What is this magical beer enhancer you say? None other than the very vessel that holds it. Glassware plays a significant role in obtaining the most flavour and aroma from your favourite brew. In this first issue of Beer 101, we will delve into some glassware options for our four original beers that you can have in your very own collection.

Pilsner Glass

Farmer’s Daughter Blonde Ale

This tall slender glass is perfect for our Farmer’s Daughter Blonde Ale. The narrow body and small opening helps the head of the beer linger and encourages the light and subtle aroma to stick around long enough to enjoy your pint. While it is traditionally for Pilsner, it works well with other lightly flavoured beers as well.

Nordic Pint Glass

Whistling Paddler English Style Ale

This glass is made for drinking. Our Whistling Paddler English Style Ale is a 4.5% ABV beer that is easy drinking and this glass allows you to consume it at whatever pace you choose. The bulge at the top of the glass with help keep this pint stable in your hand and the wide mouth allows CO2 to escape, making this English beer even more traditional as you drink. This glass is a staple that should be in everyone’s collection.

Snifter Glass

Class V IPA

This style of glass is made to hold the aroma. This will enhance your drinking experience of our Class V IPA and hold the citrus and grapefruit hop aroma until you’ve finished. If you ever feel the aroma lacking just give the glass a swirl. The agitation will blast you with that bouquet of hops and give you the added benefit of looking like a sophisticated beer connoisseur.

The Snifter not only benefits the nose but also the eyes. The fat base of the glass allows light to pass through and brighten the colour of the beer showing off some of those beautiful deep reds.

Tulip Glass

Midnight Stout Oatmeal Milk Stout

While this style of glass is usually for stronger beer, it also works wonders with our Midnight Stout Oatmeal Milk Stout. Like the Snifter, it traps the aroma of the beer, but also greatly increases head stability. The head keeping the oxygen out will allow that aroma to linger until the last drop making for a worry-free beer with a delightfully malty scent.

Why do we not have these 4 in our own collection you ask? Having 4 different styles of glassware behind the bar at our pub would be quite difficult, but we try to cycle through the different styles in our retail so that our customers will eventually be able to acquire the entire collection.

While salmon is resting, combine couscous and salad together in a bowl and add enough dressing so that it is fairly wet. The couscous will absorb a lot of dressing quickly.

Plate the finished salad and add the salmon. Garnish.

Serves 4

Events

Torchlight Dinners

February 11 & March 18

An experience you won’t want to miss. Our Winter Torchlight Dinners involve an evening of live music, cheese fondue, walking in the moonlight, and of course, Whitewater Beer. Ticket available at www.whitewaterbeer.ca/shop

Anti-Valentine’s Day

February 10

Not a fan of cupid? Or just prefer something less lovey-dovey than the traditional Valentine’s Day? Have we got the party for you! Join us for a night of messy food and loud music before cupid shows up. Call 613-646-0101 for reservations.

Valentine’s Day Dinner

February 14

For those in love….with food. Join us on Valentine’s Day for a 3-course meal like no other and a live pianist serenading you with all the best love songs. Call 613-646-0101 for a reservation and be sure to let us know if you’d like to join the party.

Roast Dinner

Every Sunday

Your choice of roast pork, roast beef, or roast chicken with potatoes and vegetables the way Mama used to make ’em. Let our Whitewater family cook for your family. Minimum 4 people with 5 days notice. Served family style for $10 per person. Call 613-646-0101 for reservations

Pub Quiz Night

Every Monday

Feeling competitive? What better way to get it out of your system than a good old fashioned Pub Quiz. Starts at 7pm every Monday but be sure to make a reservation to guarantee a spot for you and your team. Call 613-646-0101 for reservations.

Questions from Friends

We want to answer your questions about anything from the beer, the brewery, the boys or whatever else is on your mind. Due to the high volume of questions though, we won’t be able to post every one, but keep your eyes peeled in case yours makes it to the front page.

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*Questions from Friends is for general questions in the areas listed above. For personal inquiries please use thebreweryboys@whitewaterbeer.ca